SSTL

Overview

Designs and manufactures small satellite platforms and full spacecraft for institutional and commercial customers, drawing on four decades of small-satellite flight heritage as the original small-satellite company, spun out of the University of Surrey, and now backed by Airbus Defence and Space parentage.

Moat: Four decades of small-satellite flight heritage as the original small-satellite manufacturer, plus Airbus parentage giving it balance-sheet depth and institutional-prime access that independent smallsat builders lack.

Business

Primary customers

• Commercial: SatVu (HotSat-2 customer)
• Government: European Space Agency

Sectors

satellite-manufacturing · satellite-platforms · earth-observation

Key Products

• SSTL-42 / SSTL-150 / SSTL-300 platformsoperational

  Family of standardized small satellite bus platforms.

• HotSat-2operational

  Thermal-imaging satellite built for SatVu; launched 2026-03-30, first imagery 2026-05-08.

  First flight: 2026-03-30

• HydroGNSSoperational

  ESA Scout mission satellite, proving in-orbit capabilities as of March 2026.

• CarbSAR IODoperational

  In-orbit-demonstration SAR satellite built with Oxford Space Systems; launched 2026-01-12, antenna deployed 2026-01-29.

  First flight: 2026-01-12

• Lazulidevelopment

  Schmidt Observatory System participation, joined 2026-03-09.

Recent Milestones

1. 2026-03-30

   HotSat-2, built for SatVu, launched

2. 2026-03-09

   Joined the Lazuli/Schmidt Observatory System

3. 2026-01-12

   CarbSAR IOD launched with Oxford Space Systems

4. 2024-12

   Andrew Cawthorne becomes Managing Director

What investors should know

Sources & References